The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
A jolly good bicycle
oneeyedjack909
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I need a good bicycle that is equally good at cruising the streets of the big city and the trails when the weekend comes around. My friend said I want front and back disk brakes. I've been looking at the folding bikes for the purpose of storage in a small apartment but my biking buddy says they suck. Give me some brands to look into and basically what i should look for. Money is not a major issue but I dont want something that costs more than my car. thanks
"A mans first duty is to his conscience and honor"- Mark Twain
"Those who are willing to give up essential liberties for a little safety diserve neither liberty nor safety"-Benjamin Franklin
"Those who are willing to give up essential liberties for a little safety diserve neither liberty nor safety"-Benjamin Franklin
oneeyedjack909 on
0
Posts
Disc brakes are very nice, but be aware maintenance can be more expensive than other kinds, and difficult to repair/replace/work with, and you may need specialized tools to take care of them (if you do that sort of thing yourself). Also, they don't work with every single bike depending on how the cassette and derailleur are situated. That said, they are extremely effective, so if none of this troubles you too much than go for it; the single reason I don't use them is because I bike long distance and couldn't fix them on the road.
I have a hybrid road bike for city travel and it suits me quite well; it's a Raleigh, and I've enjoyed it immensely as it's geared well for both hills and straightaways. Brands aside, I would recommend a hybrid with fat-ish tires if you're going to be using it on trails, as long as they aren't mountain biking trails. Anything related to that needs better shocks and frame than most hybrids can offer.
If it is mountain biking you do on the weekends, your best bet is to get an actual mountain bike, but look for something fairly lightweight with slimmer tires, and that should serve you just fine.
tl;dr: Disc brakes mostly ok, Raleigh is an option for road/hybrid unless the trails you ride are too rough.
Beware though, those awesome 700cc tires that make city riding so great are not a good choice for trail riding. The wheels are much thinner and tend to be made of lightweight materials that will not hold up well if you smash into a rock or a stump or take jumps with them. Also you'll be stuck changing tires very regularly as the perfect commuter tire (nearly treadless, very flat) is the worst possible trail tire, and vice versa. Trail tires ought to be knobby and heavy and tough.
Hybrid bikes ARE a good choice for most applications, but if you're going to be doing trail riding with someone serious enough to recommend disc brakes you're probably going to want a mountain bike.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I bought my girlfriend one of these: http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=7&itemid=400
Here's the thing. If you don't plan on riding on major trails, you don't need suspension on the fork. It's a waste of energy. Also, disc brakes aren't a necessity. I had some on my hybrid (they don't make it anymore, but it was the Route 24 from 2006...wish I never sold it), and they were cool, but not necessary.
Bottom line is, make sure you get a bike with a good wheelset. That's probably the most important part of the build.
It would help if we knew your size too.
Giving a price range would help.
The type of bike you need really depends on the type of biking you think you'll be doing the most. Light trail riding and some city riding? I'd say a light duty mountain bike might be better if you are doing more offroad stuff. A hybrid will be great for the road but you might have problems on the trails with one (really depends on brand). Another option is a cyclocross bike (road bike set up for offroad use...wider 700c tires, etc.) those tend to run on the expensive side and might not really work for you.
From what you are saying, disc brakes aren't necessary. You really only need them for downhill or really aggressive trail riding. Still, they come on standard on most mountain bikes these days, so take em if you can get them.
Folding bikes are really only useful if you plan on travelling with your bike. Otherwise don't bother, just something else that will increase the price and decrease your selection.
Basically:
If you think you are going to ride offroad a lot I'd go with a hardtail (no rear shocks) mountain bike with front suspension, with or without disc brakes. The front suspension isn't necessary if you are staying on the street a lot, but adds comfort on the trails.
If you are going to stay in the city most of the time, look to a hybrid. Also, if you do go with a hybrid, keep in mind that the front suspension on a mountain and a hybrid are set up differently, on a hybrid the suspension is designed for a smooth city ride more then anything, so there is a lot less travel to it.
Brands to look at (a price range would help narrow these down a bit):
Kona
Salsa
Giant
Gary Fisher
Rocky Mountain
Surly
(my commuter is a Surly Cross-Check. I highly recommend Surly, they have a nice frame called the Karate-Monkey which you could build a great bike around. It doesn't come as a complete bike though, so that might make it a little more expensive then you want.)
Finally:
Visit a bunch of local bike shops, talk to the people there, tell them what you want to do with your bike and see what they recommend. Go to more then one store and buy from a place where you like the people the best. Most places give free tuneups for a least a year with a new bike.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
Thanks.
They're just an excuse to slap $300 on the price tag
Back suspension does very little, when you need it, you'll be standing anyway, it also reduces the power of your push, and makes you quite tired, front suspension is a must though.
You'll want a specific type of gears too, my dad calls them quickfire gears
They are damn fucking quick
Bad MSpaint picture:
Those types of shifters are pretty common. Basically, there's a lever for up, and one for down.
OP, what are you thinking so far? What's the price range?
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
You've really gotta determine if you want a road bike that can go offroad sometimes or an offroad bike that can go on the road sometimes. I've never seen a pure hybrid that excels at both. You also want to set a price range. I'd avoid disc brakes initially, you can always add them later if you find that pad brakes aren't cutting it for you. I like my disc brakes, but only put them on the bike after having the pads slip on me while doing some tough trails in the rain/mud.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
If you just want to go off pavement then a cyclocross bike, with 700c wheels, would be a good choice. But they are going to be three times the entry price of a mountain bike. Faster than a mountian bike, rack eyelets for racks to carry stuff. lots of clearance at the chain stays and fork for big tires(You can get 700c tires in offroad tread patterns in sizes over 45mm) Consider a Specialized Tricross.
Fixed gears are fun on the pavement, not so much offroad. You can get them prebuilt from several companies. But converting one from an old road bike, with horizontal drops, is a fun project.